


It's Traditional, After All

by T Verano (t_verano)



Category: The Sentinel (TV)
Genre: 2012 TS Secret Santa Drabble Days prompt "reindeer", Christmas fic, M/M, Ugly Holiday Sweaters
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-12-19
Updated: 2012-12-19
Packaged: 2020-04-06 13:45:13
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 500
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19063885
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/t_verano/pseuds/T%20Verano
Summary: Sometimes there can be more to an ugly holiday sweater than meets the eye.





	It's Traditional, After All

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the 2012 TS Secret Santa Drabble Days prompt "reindeer"

"I warned you to avoid Mrs. Haettenschaeffer." Jim let himself smirk; Blair deserved it.

"She was too fast for me," Blair said. He looked down at his chest with a rueful air. "It could be worse. The nose could have a battery-operated flashing light in it or something."

"I'm not sure anything could be worse than Mrs. H's knitting skills turned loose — and I use that word deliberately — on a Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer sweater." Jim examined the sweater more closely, trying to ignore the faintly queasy feeling in his stomach. He was a cop; a hand-knit sweater shouldn't leave him in worse shape than a homicide crime scene. He cleared his throat. "Remind me, Darwin: reindeer don't really look like that, do they? Four legs, antlers — those are still the basics, right?"

"Not on this sweater," Blair said.

"Too bad she lives across the hall; you're going to have to actually let her see you wearing that occasionally or you'll hurt her feelings." Jim had to admit he felt a little smug. Blair was such a patsy for Mrs. Haettenschaeffer and her demented knitting projects.

Blair would wear the sweater, too. Cheerfully, and as if Rudolph was the best present anyone had ever given him. He'd even mean it, once the initial horror of the thing had worn off. That was one of the things about Sandburg.

Blair gave Jim a half-hearted glare. Then he brightened. "There's a silver lining, though. You know how you've been so careful to avoid her yourself? She's given up trying to catch you in the hallway." Jim's smug smile widened, and Blair went on, "She made a sweater for you anyway and gave it to me to pass along. It's on the couch."

There went Jim's smile. He walked over to the couch warily, and yeah, there was a Mrs. H. special spread out on the couch cushions. Just for him.

"What the hell is it?"

Blair smiled an entirely too sweet smile. "I'm — almost — sure it's an elf. With a really long nose. And… okay, a tutu, or at least it looks like one. And I could be wrong, but I think he's holding a ball of mistletoe right about where it will line up with your belly button. I didn't know Mrs. H had it in her."

Jim groaned, and Blair laughed. "Hey, I wear my sweater, you wear your sweater, we make Mrs. H. happy… Or we could explore the mistletoe option for a while first."

"The mistletoe option," Jim said slowly. Funny how the sweater was looking less atrocious to him all of a sudden. "The 'lip-action under the mistletoe' option, I take it."

"It's tradition, right?" Blair said with a look that was quickly growing dark-eyed and hungry. "Wouldn't want to diss tradition."

"No," Jim said, and pulled the sweater on over his shirt. What the hell, it was only temporary. And it would be worth it. "No, we wouldn't. Get over here, Rudolph. My mistletoe is waiting."


End file.
